- The area used to have mangroves and freshwater sources.
- A Malindi lobby has called on the government, through the local administration, to intervene in the matter before it escalates into violence.
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
A bitter row is simmering between the residents of Muyu wa Kae village in Magarini, Kilifi county, and a salt-mining firm over grazing land.
The residents, who mainly depend on farming and livestock keeping, claim that the salt production company evicted them from their land to expand their dykes.
The firm does not want the residents to graze their animals in the remaining section, which has Casuarina trees. It has hired security guards to lock the residents from the area.
The residents said they are often harassed by the guards, who sometimes attack the animals with weapons, such as swords and knives.
When journalists visited the village, they found some animals with injuries, reportedly sustained after they were attacked by the guards.
Malindi Rights Forum, a local human rights organisation, said the community used to graze their animals on that parcel of land, which was taken over by the salt-mining company for expansion.
The area used to have mangroves and freshwater sources.
The residents would reportedly do farming on one side and graze their land on the other side, but currently, they are confined to one area where they can only do farming.
Pricilla Kanze, a resident, told journalists they were forcefully evicted from the land by the investor.
“The private investor does now want us to take our livestock on that land, where they have not planted trees," Kanze said.
"Whenever we take our animals there, they are either attacked, taken away or driven far to Marereni.”
She said recently her animals were driven all the way to Marereni by the guards, where she found the stranded animals at night.
“The guards beat anybody who comes near that parcel of land, especially if the ones looking after the animals are children,” she said.
Charles Charo, another resident, said they used to live peacefully before the investor came into the region.
The investor was issued with a license to operate and expand his farm by authorities, he said.
According to Charo, the residents thought they would be allowed to graze their animals on the land, but surprisingly the investors hired guards to keep off the residents.
“It is okay for the guards to intercept the animals, but they should drive them to police stations, instead of driving them away to Marereni. Many animals are injured, while others are lost and never return home,” he said.
Charo said they have tried to engage the leadership of that company and the local authorities over the dispute, but all in vain. “We have tried to seek help from all government offices in our locality but we have not received any support.”
He called on the national government to intervene or else they would take action on their own hands to ensure they are not harassed.
Jonathan Baya, a Nyumba-Kumi elder, said four of his goats disappeared after they went to graze on the field last Sunday.
Peter Komora, a coordinator of Malindi Rights Forum, said an Environment Impact Assessment was done in the area, which clearly stated that water sources are protected areas.
He said the water sources and the cultural prayers site have all been covered by the investments by the salt company.
“The EIA also gave conditions to ensure wetlands are protected, but the investor did not follow that completely. Right now residents are not able to graze in the area as their animals are attacked," Komora said.
"I talked to the company’s liaison officer, but he took the matter lightly."
Komora called on the government, through the local administration, to intervene in the matter before it escalates into violence.
He also urged the National Environment Management Authority to audit the EIA survey which was carried out on that land.
(edited by Amol Awuor)